Antiparos, in ancient Greel Oliaros, is a small island in the southern Aegean, at the heart of the Cyclades, which is less than one nautical mile (1.9 km) from Paros, the port to which it is connected with a local ferry.

Saliagos island is the most ancient settlement in the Cyclades, and Despotiko, an uninhabited island in the southwest of Antiparos, is a place of great archaeological importance.

It is an historic place of international interest. Today, thousands of tourists visit Antiparos to admire one of the most beautiful and most ancient caves in the world, the archaeological sites, the amazing views found scattered in every corner of the island, the beautiful and clean beaches, the picturesque flagstone-paved lanes and the fresh fish.

Paros can be reached in the summer months by ship from the ports of Piraeus, Rafina, Lavrio and Irakleio (Crete).

There are also flights from the Eleftherios Venizelos Airport in Athens (Olympic Airways and Aegean Airlines). The maritime network connecting Paros and the other Cycladic islands is exceptional.

If your flight is landing at the airports of Mykonos or Santorini, you can reach Paros easily by ship from there.

Paros - Antiparos

From Easter time through October, karavakia ‘little ships’ depart many times a day for Antiparos from the port of Paroikia in Paros. The duration of the trip is about 30 minutes. The ‘karavaki’ does not carry cars, however—only passengers. The price of the ticket is five euros per person.

Buses depart frequently from Paroikia [the KTEL bus station is at the Port], as well as from other areas of Paros, transporting passengers to the little port of Pounta in Paros.

From there, travellers can take the ferry boat, which reaches Antiparos in about seven minutes. If travelling by car or motorcycle, from the port of Paroikia follow the signs to Alyki and Pounta. The ferry boat to Antiparos can accommodate all types of vehicle.

In antiquity Antiparos was known as Oliaros, and it is by this name that the 3rd century BC Greek geographer Heraclides the Critic (or Cretan) refers to it in his writings ‘Peri Nisson’ [‘on islands’]. This work, unfortunately, has not survived; however, an excerpt related to Antiparos has been passed down to us through Stephanus Byzantius, the great grammarian of the Early Byzantine period (early 6th century AD): ‘...Oliaros is one of the Cyclades, stated by Heraclides Ponticus in his “On Islands”. Oliaros, colony of Sidon, at a distance of nine stadia from Paros.’ It is interesting to note that the Byzantine grammarian does not state the name of the Ancient Greek philosopher correctly, confusing him with the 4th century BC philosopher Heraclides, who hailed from Heraclea in Pontus. The Greek geographer Strabo (67 BC-AD 23) also mentions Oliaros, in Book X of his Geographica: ‘.....Cimolos and Prepesinthos and Oliaros... Now I consider all of these among the twelve except Prepesinthos, Oliaros, and Gyaros,’ as does the Roman writer Pliny the Elder (AD 23-79) in Vol. IV of his Natural History. It is worth noting that these two writers, as well, mention Prepesinthos—that is, Despotiko. The first reference to Antiparos underits present name is found much later, in the 13th century.

According to archaeologists, humankind began to settle in the Cycladic islands at the start of the Late Neolithic Period, which began approximately 5,300 years ago. The oldest known settlement in the Cyclades has been found on the islet of Saliagos, which lies some 500 metres from the village of Antiparos. It has a length of 100 metres (north to south) and a width of 50 metres (east to west). However, because during the Neolithic Period the sea level was at least six metres lower than it is today, Saliagos was then a low peninsula on the isthmus linking Paros and Antiparos.

In 1961, Nikolaos Zafeiropoulos, superintendent of antiquities, became the first to discover traces of the settlement of Saliagos; more findings came to light following the work carried out by British archaeologists John Evans and Colin Renfrew in 1964. The settlement, which covers the entire island and dates to at least the end of the 5th millennium BC approximately, was composed of rectangular dwellings with stone foundations, surrounded by a wall. The task of constructing a defensive wall demands a coordinated collective effort—a fact that proves that in the Cyclades they had already initiated the process that would lead to the foundation of cities during the Early Bronze Age. The inhabitants of the island fashioned their tools and arrowheads from obsidian. It seems, in fact, that the processing of obsidian took place to a much greater extent than that which local needs could account for; based on this information, archaeologists have concluded that the settlement of Saliagos constituted a centre for the processing of and trade in obsidian from Milos. Its inhabitants were also involved in fishing, livestock-raising, the cultivation of cereals, pottery-making and basket-weaving. Spoons made out of mussels, several hoes and other tools made out of bones, vases and figurines have also been found on the islet. Most of the vases unearthed on Saliagos resemble fruit bowls. They are made of dark clay and have a white linear decoration, are open, with an outline that is straight, curved or angled, and have a flat base or, more often, a tall support. Among the figurines found at Saliagos is ‘The Fat Lady of Saliagos,’ the oldest marble figurine discovered to date in the Cyclades. Some of these artefacts can be admired at the Archaeological Museum of Paros. These findings indicate that, even though the Neolithic civilization of the Cyclades presents similarities with its contemporaries—especially that of the Peloponnese—, it exhibits a distinct character in its art.

Unfortunately, few other sites of the so-called ‘Saliagos Civilization’ have survived. Very little is known about both the society and the religious beliefs of these people, or about their origin.

Later, during Early Bronze Age, the Cycladic civilization acquired a much more intense insular character. The 3rd millennium BC witnessed the beginning of the great development of civilization on Paros, Antiparos, and also Despotiko. In 1883, the British archaeologist Bent and the Swann brothers were the first to discover graves on Antiparos, dating to the period 3000-2500 BC, in digs that took place in the areas of Apantima, Soros and Petalides. Findings from these excavations are on display in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens. Christos Tsountas also carried out digs on Despotiko, discovering two Protocycladic cemeteries in the areas of Livadi and Zoumbaria, and noting the remains of a prehistoric settlement in the area of Heiromyli. He argued that during the 3rd millennium BC, the inhabitants of these two islands lived in small settlements found relatively far from one other. The Greek Archaeological Service conducted more recent research on the islet, in 1959, under Nikolaos Zafeiropoulos, superintendent of antiquities. The research confirmed the size of the Protocycladic settlements and, in addition, brought to light archaeological remains of Archaic and Roman years. A Doric-order temple of white marble, dating to the Historic period, was discovered in the area of Mandra and studied in 1980. Despite all of this, to date the existing data concerning the inhabitation of Despotiko during the Historic period is minimal. For this reason, the discovered sections of a kouros and a half-completed marble head of a small statuette belonging to the third quarter of the 6th century BC—already on display at the Museum of Cycladic and Ancient Greek Art in Athens—are of great importance.

The first inhabitants of Antiparos in ancient times were Phoenicians from Sidon, who were succeeded by various conquerors.

MODERN HISTORY

There is a scarcity of information concerning the history of Antiparos during the Byzantine period and up to the beginning of the 13th century; however, what we do know is that throughout this entire period and until the Greek Revolution of 1821, the island suffered from raids by marauders from Algeria, Crete, Mani, Kefallinia and elsewhere. These frequent pirate raids are attested to by both the fluctuations in the local population—which reached the point of an almost complete depopulation of the island—and the remains of the defensive works that various rulers of Antiparos had carried out from time to time, aimed at protecting the inhabitants.

In 1207, Antiparos was occupied by Marco I Sanudo, a nephew of Enrico Dandolo, the Doge of Venice. The former took part in the Fourth Crusade, and was one of the leaders of its diversion from its initial aim—a change that would lead to the disintegration of the Byzantine Empire. With the approval of Venice, Marco I Sanudo occupied the Cyclades, the Sporades and other Aegean islands, establishing the Duchy of the Archipelago, with Naxos as its seat. Antiparos remained under the rule of the House of Sanudo until the second half of the 14th century, at which time the island passed into the hands of the House of Sommaripa, through the marriage of Maria Sanudo—Lady of Andros, Naxos and Antiparos—and Gaspare Sommaripa. Antiparos was densely populated in the early 15th century; it is a well-known fact that it furnished the galleons of the Duke of Naxos with 30 sailors. Later, however, as a result of pirate raids, the island became completely deserted. Cristoforo Buondelmonti, a Florentine monk of the 15th century and among the first Hellenophile travellers to our country, noted in his work Liber insularum Archipelagi that Antiparos had very few inhabitants, and that they were involved in geological activities and livestock-raising. He also reported that the island was full of eagles and hawks.

In 1440, the Lord of Paros and Andros Crusino I Sommaripa gave Antiparos to his daughter Francesca as dowry for her marriage to Leonardo Loredano. Thus, Antiparos became detached from the dominion of the Duke of Naxos and found itself under the control of the powerful Loredano family of Venice. At his own expense, Leonardo Loredano relocated cultivators to Antiparos, and also constructed its famous castle. In 1480, the island passed into the hands of Domenico Pisani and, along with Anafi and Ios, constituted a possession of the Pisani family of Venice. In 1537, Antiparos, along with the rest of the Cyclades, fell into the hands of the Ottomans and the formidable pirate Hayreddin Barbarossa.

Antiparos remained under the Turkish yoke until 1770, when the Russian fleet of the Orlov brothers sailed to the island. During the period 1770-1774, Antiparos and Paros were held by the Russians, but following the Orlov Revolt they came again under the Turkish yoke, until the Greek Revolution of 1821.

During the period of Ottoman rule, Antiparos suffered much destruction, not only on account of raids carried by the conquerors themselves, but also by pirates.

The demise of the notorious French pirate Daniel, a Knight of the Order of Malta, and the dramatic events at Despotiko in 1675 are typical of the living conditions of that period. That year, a naval battle took place between Daniel and Turkish vessels off Despotiko, which the pirate had been using as a base for his operations. The defeated pirate set his vessel ablaze and disembarked at Despotiko along with his band, promising the inhabitants great sums if they were to save him. They, however, placed him in chains and surrendered him to the Turkish contingents. When other pirates including Orange, Honora and Hugo de Crevelier learned of the event, they sailed to the islet, and, after the Turkish vessels had departed, plundered it and slaughtered its inhabitants. The most destructive pirate raid of Antiparos was perhaps the one that took place in 1794, when Kefallonian and Maniot pirates plundered the island and slaughtered or captured most of its inhabitants, among whom was the daughter of the French vice-consul.

The taxation paid by the inhabitants during this period was also unbearable. In 1756, in order to pay their tax, Antipariots were forced to sell the islet of Diplo to Parian Petros Mavrogenis and Myconian Tzortzis Baos, for the sum of 100 rials.

However, during those dark years there was a school on Antiparos, where the children of the island learned to read and write. It was at this school that great men received their first enlightenment in education and religious studies, a list dominated by the likes of Neofytos Mavrommatis, Metropolitan of Nafpaktos and Arta, and Ananias, the deacon who taught, in the mid-18th century, at the Patriarchal Academy [Phanar Greek Orthodox College], and is regarded as one of the wisest Teachers of the Great School of the Nation.

The inhabitants of Antiparos were among the first from the Cyclades to take part in the Greek Revolution. In 1823, there was a discussion—which was abandoned –to cede Antiparos, along with Paros, Naxos and Sifnos, to the Knights of St John, in exchange for money. The island officially became a part of the Greek state through the London Protocol of 3 February 1830 and the London Conference of 18 August 1832.

Antiparos also took active part in the Resistance against the Germans during World War Two. The island had been turned into a secret base for the Allies, and Operation Antiparos is a very well-known ‘chapter’ in the history of World War Two, with the arrests and executions of Greek patriots and Allied soldiers that followed in the wake of the operation.

Agios Georgios, Antiparos, Antiparos Island, CycladesAgios Georgios beach is a small beach, with fine sand, near the chapel.View More

Agios Georgios Beach

Mikros Soros Beach

Soros, Antiparos, Antiparos Island, CycladesJust before Soros beach you will find Mikros Soros, a beach with fine little gravel will enthuse those who are not fans of sand.
Source: www.antiparos.grView More

Mikros Soros Beach

Agios Spiridon Beach

Antiparos Town, Antiparos, Antiparos Island, CycladesIt is located to the northeast of the Port.
The shallowest sandy beach on the island.
The shallow waters and the tamarisks combine to create a paradise for young children (this is why it is also known as the ‘Baby Beach’).
Source:...View More

Agios Spiridon Beach

Glyfa Beach

Antiparos Island, CycladesTo the east, at a distance of 3.5km from the Port, lies Glyfa, one of the most beloved beaches of visitors.
Its crystal-clear waters and sand will surely enchant you.
It is organised, with umbrellas, sunbeds, a cafe and a windsurfing...View More

Glyfa Beach

Apantima Beach

Soros, Antiparos, Antiparos Island, CycladesImmediately after the intersection leading to the Cave, one finds the Apantima beach, sheltered from the winds, with its small, nice sandy beach, free space and organised beach club / restaurant.
There is a municipal bus stop.
Source:...View More

Apantima Beach

Vathis Volos Beach

Antiparos Island, CycladesSandy beach with umbrellas and sunbeds.View More

Antiparos Island, CycladesThose wishing to enjoy a view of the entire northern coast of Antiparos have but to walk across the narrows from Theologos’ Beach to the uninhabited Feira, opposite Cape Vorino.
The depth of the sea separating the two is estimated...View More

Theologos Beach

Psaralyki 1 Beach

Antiparos Town, Antiparos, Antiparos Island, CycladesPsaralyki A and B (or 1 and 2).
Two organised beaches, one the natural extension of the other, with golden sand, beach bars, sunbeds and water games (bananas, towable inflatables, etc), as well as natural shade offered by tamarisks.
Source:...View More

Psaralyki 1 Beach

Kalargyrou Beach

Antiparos Town, Antiparos, Antiparos Island, CycladesKalargyrou Beach is found on the northeast part of the island.
It is the quietest beach on Antiparos, with a sandy and rocky bottom.
Source: www.antiparos.grView More

Kalargyrou Beach

Livadia Beach

Antiparos Island, CycladesLivadia, after Kambos, is a remote beach with sand but without shade, ideal for nature-lovers.
Source: www.antiparos.grView More

Livadia Beach

Mikra Monastiria Beach

Antiparos Island, CycladesSmall beach with sand and a gorgeous bottom, very close to Monastiria beach.View More

Antiparos Island, CycladesIn the western section of the island one finds Monastiria, composed of two beaches between two hills, with sand and a gorgeous bottom.
Source: www.antiparos.grView More

Monastiria Beach

Faneromeni Beach

Antiparos Island, CycladesUnder the chapel of Faneromeni, gigantic crags have created a sheltered haven offering tranquillity and incomparable dives.
Source: www.antiparos.grView More

Faneromeni Beach

Sifneikos Gialos Beach

Antiparos Town, Antiparos, Antiparos Island, CycladesSifneiko (or Sunset Beach), is reached on foot from the square (500m distance), or by vehicle via the ring road.
With its nice sandy beach, it offers an easy solution for a swim in clear waters.
There is a children’s playground...View More

Sifneikos Gialos Beach

Panagia Beach

Antiparos Island, CycladesA large bay with crystalline waters, sandy beach, silver pebbles and with dense shade created by tamarisks.
There is a little taverna nearby offering traditional local cuisine.
There is a municipal bus stop.
Source: www.antiparos.grView More

Panagia Beach

Camping Beach

Antiparos Island, CycladesThe Camping Beach has clear, turquoise waters that astound.
It gathers many young people, as is naturally expected, and nudism is permitted on a section of the beach.
Source: www.antiparos.grView More

Soros, Antiparos, Antiparos Island, CycladesAt a distance of 8km from the Port one finds the bustling beach of Soros, the largest one on Antiparos.
It is a wide, clean sandy beach with fine pebble and deep waters.
Everyone adores it.
You will also find restaurants with traditional...View More

Soros Beach

Agios Sostis Beach

Antiparos Island, CycladesIt is a small beach, with sand and turquoise waters to the south, at a distance of approximately 2km from Soros.
Swimming and diving at Sostis will surely be an unforgettable experience.
Source: www.antiparos.grView More

Agios Sostis Beach

Psaralyki 2 Beach

Antiparos Town, Antiparos, Antiparos Island, CycladesPsaralyki A and B (or 1 and 2).
Two organised beaches, one the natural extension of the other, with golden sand, beach bars, sunbeds and water games (bananas, towable inflatables, etc), as well as natural shade offered by tamarisks.
Source:...View More

Psaralyki 2 Beach

Sights (10)

What to see in Antiparos Island, Cyclades

Overview

Map

Agia Paraskevi Church

Kampos, Antiparos, Antiparos Island, CycladesYou will come across this church on your way towards the Kampos. An older brick church of the same name once stood in the same spot. It was rebuilt in 1962, on a vow, and since then is celebrated on the eve and day of its feast, with...View More

Antiparos Town, Antiparos, Antiparos Island, CycladesThe architecture on the islands of the Aegean constitutes a phenomenon admired for its wealth and multiformity. Settlements that began to be built using simple means and humble intentions evolved into acclaimed works of art, with a...View More

Cave of Antiparos

Antiparos Island, CycladesThe Cave of Antiparos is among the most beautifuland most significant in the world; this because, in addition to being an enchanting natural site worth seeing, it is inextricably linked to the history of the area and generates great...View More

Agios Ioannis Prodromos Church

Antiparos Island, Cyclades
Agios Ioannis is a tiny, square chapel, built by people who worked in the area’s mines in the old days. Source: www.antiparos.grView More

Agios Ioannis Prodromos Church

Municipal Library of Antiparos

Antiparos Island, CycladesSharing the same space as the KEP [Citizens’ Service Centre], the Municipal Lending Library is a different kind of ‘haven’, filled with treasures and rare titles.The library does not only offer the 1,450 titles found in its own...View More

Municipal Library of Antiparos

Agia Marina Church

Antiparos Town, Antiparos, Antiparos Island, CycladesAgia Marina welcomes the visitor to the island. The Lady of the Harbour ‘sits’ next to the old windmill and holds a separate place in the hearts of locals, who celebrate the church with a three-day celebration and with all of the...View More

Agia Marina Church

Profitis Ilias Church

Antiparos Island, CycladesThe little church of Profitis Ilias reigns supreme, built atop the highest peak of the island at an altitude of 308 metres. Owing to its location, the ‘sentinel’ of Antiparos offers a panoramic view. Depending on the degree of...View More

Profitis Ilias Church

Agios Ioannis Spiliotis Church

Antiparos Island, CycladesAs its name indicates, the little church of Agios Ioannis is located at the entrance to the Spilaio [Cave] of Antiparos. It has lent its name to the entire location, which is named ‘vounali tou Agiou Ioanni’ [hillock of Ai Giannis]...View More

What to do in Antiparos Island, Cyclades

Overview

Map

Blue Island Divers

Antiparos Town, Antiparos, Antiparos Island, CycladesWhether you are an experienced diver, or beginner, we at Blue Island Divers assure you that if you have never been here in Greece diving before it will not only exceed your expectations but also that you will want to return and dive with us again.View More

Blue Island Divers

Antiparos Rent a Boat

Antiparos Town, Antiparos, Antiparos Island, CycladesFrom 15 to 33 feet..
From 30 to 450 Hp.
With or without fastboat driving licence, there is a boat that fits your needs.View More

Antiparos Rent a Boat

Spot One - Antiparos Surf Club

Antiparos Town, Antiparos, Antiparos Island, CycladesSpot One is a surf club located at Antiparos Island offering watersport activities such as Windsurfing and SUP lessons, gear rentals & storage space.View More

Agios Georgios, Antiparos, Antiparos Island, CycladesWelcome to the Captain Pipinos Fish Restaurant - Tavern on Antiparos island. In a beautiful and peaceful setting by the sea, we are expecting you to offer our services and make sure you enjoy your meal any time of day. All dishes...View More